Summary of Walter Isaacson's The Code Breaker (Unabridged‪)‬

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A few key insights from chapter one:

1. After her parents moved from Washington, DC, to Hilo, Hawaii, Jennifer Doudna had a rough childhood trying to fit in. This pushed her to focus on science and books.

2. Amid the rich natural environment of Hawaii, Doudna was most fascinated by the “sleeping grass” which curls its fern-like leaves whenever touched.

3. One day, after coming back from school, Doudna found James Watson’s The Double Helix on her bed, placed there by her father. After reading about the discovery of DNA, she realized that she wanted to be a scientist.